EP0125795A1
Expired / Lapsed
EP
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Sealing assembly
Assignee: British Telecommunications PLC
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Filing: 1984-04-12
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Granted: —
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Expires: 2004-04-12
Abstract
Abstract A sealing assembly for an optical fibre feed through inhibits passage of water or gases via a fibre's protective sheath while preserving mechanical protection of the fibre. <??>A length (A-A min ) of the fibre (4) is exposed by removal of the corresponding sheath portion. Both the exposed surface of the fibre (4) and the ends (6 min , 6) of the sheath (5) are sealed into a common bore (2) in a ferrule (1). Demountable end members (9, 10) may be provided, to extend the bore (2) into which the sheath ends (6 min , 6) are sealed. <??>The sealing assembly finds particular application in optical fibre feed through at submarine cable repeater housing bulkheads.
Inventors
- 👤 Peter David Jenkins
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
EP
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-11-08 11:57
CPC Classifications
G; G02; G02B; G02B6/00; G02B6/44; G02B6/4401; G02B6/4415; G02B6/4427; G02B6/4428
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 13
Claim 1
Independent Claim
61 words
A sealing assembly comprising a component having a bore (2) therethrough, an optical fibre (4) which extends through the bore (2), said fibre (4) being provided with a protective sheath (5) which extends into the bore (2), wherein the sheath (5) and the outer surface of a length of the fibre (4) are sealed to the wall of the bore (2).
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
61 words
A sealing assembly comprising a component having a bore (2) therethrough, an optical fibre (4) which extends through the bore (2), said fibre (4) being provided with a protective sheath (5) which extends into the bore (2), wherein the sheath (5) and the outer surface of a length of the fibre (4) are sealed to the wall of the bore (2).
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
12 words
A sealing assembly according to Claim 1 wherein the component is metallic.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
16 words
A sealing assembly according to Claims 1 or 2 wherein the component comprises a ferrule (1).
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
47 words
A sealing assembly according to Claim 2, or to Claim 3 as dependent on Claim 2, wherein the outer surface of the length of the fibre (4) is metallised and the metallised surface is sealed to the wall of the bore (2) by means of solder (20).
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
18 words
A sealing assembly according to Claim 4 wherein the solder (20) is a low melting point metallic alloy.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
30 words
A sealing assembly according to any one of the preceding claims wherein the sheath (5) is sealed to the wall of the bore (2) by means of an epoxy resin.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
56 words
A sealing assembly according to any one of the preceding claims wherein the component comprises a ferrule (1) whose bore (2) is extended by an end member (9) mounted on an end of the ferrule (1) and the sheath (5) is sealed to the wall of the bore (2) which lies in the end member (9).
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
24 words
A sealing assembly according to Claim 7 wherein the ferrule (1) and the end member (9) are each provided with a lateral aperture (32,33).
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
56 words
A sealing assembly according to Claim 8 wherein the ferrule (1) is provided with a tubular spigot (31) which is coaxial with the bore (2) and which extends into the end member (9), the lateral aperture (33) in the end member (9) opening into the bore (2) at a position lying adjacent to the spigot (31).
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
74 words
A sealing assembly according to any one of Claims 7 to 9 wherein the protective sheath (5) extends into each end of the bore (2) and the component comprises a ferrule (1) whose bore (2) is extended at each end of the ferrule (1) by an end member (9,10), an (end (6',6) of the protective sheath (5) being sealed to the wall of the bore (2) which lies in each respective end member (9,10).
Claim 12
Independent Claim
142 words
A method of making a sealing assembly according to Claims 3 and.7. which comprises the steps of removing a portion of the sheath (5) so as to expose the outer surface of a length (A-A') of the fibre (4), metallising the exposed surface, positioning the fibre (4) in the bore (2) such that the metallised surface lies inside the ferrule (1) but the sheath (5) does not, injecting solder (20) into the bore (2) in the.ferrule (1) so as to seal the metallised surface to the wall of the bore (2), mounting an end member (9) on an end of the ferrule (1) such that the sheath (5) extends into the bore (2) in the end member (9), and injecting an encapsulant (11) into the end member (9) so as to seal the sheath (5) to the wall of the bore (2).
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
63 words
A method according to Claim 11 wherein the solder (20) is injected into the bore (2) inside the ferrule (1) by means of an aperture (32) in the wall of the ferrule (1) and wherein a current of cooling gas is directed across the ends of the ferrule (1), whereby solidification of solder appearing at the ends of the ferrule (1) is facilitated.
References Cited (Backward Citations)
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